Pharmacies expanding services and offerings to serve aging population and address health-care overhaul

New format

More broadly, Walgreen has launched a “Well Experience” format in about 400 of its more than 8,000 stores nationwide. These stores feature expanded beauty options, fresh food and groceries, private rooms for pharmacist consultations and, in some cases, an iPad-toting employee to help customers.

Walgreen started its “Well Experience” format in late 2010 and redesigned its stores to make space for the consultation room for pharmacists, who also are more accessible when they’re not in the room. They sit behind a desk instead of behind a counter. The company has since redesigned most of its Indianapolis locations to test the concept.

Tina Panyard, who shops at a Walgreen store in Indianapolis at least twice a week, likes the new products and services at the store. She said the containers of fruit and the salads give her a healthier option than McDonald’s — at about the same price. “We love that Walgreen has this new fresh food, quickie stuff,” she said.

For the record: A previous version of this story identified Sharp CEO Michael Murphy as the CEO of Scripps Health. We apologize.